Burglars break into Echo Park Lake boathouse

The 80-year-old Echo Park Lake Boathouse recently underwent a $1.3 million renovation. But the extensive project – which included new electrical systems, plumbing and other structural and cosmetic repairs – apparently did not include the installation of a burglar alarm. On Tuesday morning. workers returning from the long holiday weekend discovered that burglars had broken a window latch and entered the Spanish Colonial-style boathouse, stealing power tools and an air compressor, according to burglary Detective Mario Mota with the LAPD Rampart Division.

The entire park has been fenced off as work continues on the $65 million clean up of Echo Park Lake (the boathouse remains closed to the public until the lake project is completed). But that fence circling the park did not keep the boathouse burglars away. In fact, this weekend’s burglary was the second most recent break in at the building. Vandals had recently broken into the building and tagged up the interior, a city official said at a recent meeting, according to an Echo Park resident who attended the gathering.

“The Department of Public Works has a surveillance system in place at the Echo Park Lake project site to monitor security during construction work hours and after,” said spokeswoman Michelle Vargas in a statement. ” We are cooperating with LAPD on any inquiries that they have.”

We live within a block and called the police last week about 3 young men who climbed over our 6 foot fence and tried to force open 2 doors in the back of our house- it was noon and it was the second time they’ve tried in 2 months…

But our “protect and serve” gang had no interest in talking about it on the phone- much less sending someone out to take a report. (Too busy at the 7-11?)

It was enough to make this 18 year EP resident officially join the NRA.

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